Yesterday I received a call from someone who was interested in rescue horses. Actually,
I have gotten calls from this number, though no messages, a few times over the past
few days and not gotten back to the person. I answered this time.
Nothing uncommon, as I get quite a few inquiries through the week from those
looking to place horses, ask questions about adoption and so forth.
I’ve gotten so many, that I am quite good at sorting out horse traders, unqualified
owners and potentially quality adopters.
This call, from the start, was suspicious.
The man had a bit of an accent. He asked about horses I had up for
adoption to “good homes.”
I asked what horse in particular he was inquiring about.
He said just some horses need adopted.
HUGE Red flag, of course, in and of its self. . .but the conversation continues. . .
I ask because of his continued odd statements where he lives.
He says he is located in South Florida.
I told him that, curious now about his motives, the cost of transporting
horses from my location in West Virginia would be prohibitive, and I explained
that is made no sense to move them from my location when many rescues were
close to his location.
He said, in a stumbling manner, that they had large semi trailers they use
for. . .”Uh, for cattle hauling” (to quote him) that would be around and
could easily pick up any horses we had to send.
Really!?
The conversation went downhill from here. . .I believe he felt he’d said too
much, and he then said, after I responded that we wouldn’t be interested,
“Well, I bet they would get cold on the trip, so thank you very much.”
The tone was not sarcastic, but almost like he did not want me to guess
his motives. He hung up.
Now, I believe there must be people in Florida that cater to the lucrative black market
for horse meat that are preying on the idea that small town rescue
people, like I am, are willing to give away horses at this time of year to anyone.
Prices are upwards, I’ve read, of $40 a pound in some cases, compared to the
prices for horses going to Mexico for slaughter that run MUCH less than $1 per
pound. I’ve heard the local meat buyer is only getting .25 cents a pound for what is
being shipped through him to Mexico.
Why else call me?
I know that if he called me, he and others like him are calling other people.
Some people are so desperate to place, so unsuspecting, so uneducated,
it is hard to say what they might do.
Also, be aware, this is why placing horses on craigslist for almost nothing or
free is beyond dangerous.
There is little question now that there must be a group of people finding enough
money in black market meat to go all over the US to find cheap and free horses
to haul down that direction.
I looked the number up, and it is a Sprint cell number out of Port St Lucie area,
and is begins with (772) 267-****
I will privately share the whole number with anyone who wants the information, especially anyone capable of finding out more about the person who made the call.
Please spread the word to rescues. I know that no legitimate rescue would entertain
this offer, but awareness that this is happening cannot be anything but helpful.
For those unaware of the black market for horse meat in Florida and the
gruesome farms of horror there, please research a couple of these links
below:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=8223214&page=1#.TrNmKEOa–U
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-10-05-horse-meat_N.htm
I fear this slaughter in S. Florida issue is out of hand. The horses being killed in S. Florida are not being harvested for meat to eat. Think about the stories told of how the legs are missing – and just certain parts of the horse. There is some religion or cult out there that believes these parts of the horse cure illnesses. They lay the meat on the afflicted body part – they don’t eat it. This is what is happening MOST often in S. Florida. I am not saying that there are not people that desire to eat horse meat in the US as there are and they will go to any lengths to get it. I agree that we all take care in finding our horses homes, but the adoption policies we had in 1998 are the same today – it’s tough to get horses from us. We mean to keep them in happy homes or we can come and get them, no questions asked. So keep up the good work of protecting as much of the world’s horses as you all have been – and blessings to all rescues.
thank you for the look out<i am pretty good at lieing on phone i would love to call the dirt bag and try to get info,if you feel it is worth a try e-mail me the number tbone136969@yahoo.com.and i will post all and any info you need to get out there,i have three horse's i need to place hurt back,but would never let them leave me for death they are very good horse's and did not hurt my back so why should they die becouse i'm broke,and some would take the few bucks from meat man.i would kill them myself painlessly befor ever makeing a buck off of their hide………………….
Someone should get the number and information to Richard Couto…he is down there trying to close all these farms….He knows how to do all this,
Unfortunately, some of these are big cat rescues….looking for horse meat to feed the animals. There is one in particular in the southern central Fla area.
That’s one reason why I ask a decent price for the horses here for adoption. Rarely is a KB willing to pay $800 for a horse, even if it is a nice horse. We won’t allow horses to shipped far. The adopter must be within 50 miles. We won’t allow an adoption without a home inspection, often more than once & calling of references to include their veternarian & farrier. I’ve lost adoptions this way and have my suspicions that several calls were not on the up & up. Once they find out I’m not going to let a horse off this place without a thorough check of the adopter, they poof, disappear. Living in Florida, only a few hours away from “Couto’s” war field of swamp land butchering, sicko’s, leaves my fears hightened. Thanks to Couto and ARM, we are well aware of just how dangerous this world is for our rehabilitated rescues!
I live in South West Florida and we are always watch out for our horses here. There are so many that get stolen and taken to the illegal slaughter houses. They are even so brazen as to slaughter horses right in the owners stall and leave what they don’t want. Horrific for these owner to find. Please everyone be very careful who you sell your horse to. Go see where they are going to live and check out the buyer threw references. If they aen’t 100% don’t sell!
Port Saint Lucie is my home town area…our rescue is now based in Michigan.. chances are he is Cuban..nothing against Cubans but they are the ones who have been caught in several incedents in horse slaughter cases in the south florida area…i would forward his number and info to the miami animal control as well as port st lucie animal control…it is probably part of a much larger horse transport ring than you think..Gina~ Fern Gully Acres
HOP, my cousin is a detective for the Polk County (FL) Sheriff’s office and is a part time private investigator. If you want to contact me and give him the phone number to track down I’d be more than happy to help even if he can only pass it on to his contacts.
Wishing it was 1800’s- early 1900’s , man what we could do to them then….
Horse slaughter is a third degree felony in Florida … has anyone contacted the States Attorneys office?
Hi Joan: In Florida, it is a third degree felony for transporting, distributing, purchasing, or possessing horse meats for human consumption BUT it is a second degree felony for slaughtering the horse itself. Problem is catching and prosecuting these monsters. We have a HUGE problem with that in South Florida.
Please share this far and wide. I hope that theses horses did not end up in Florida!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stolen-Help-FIND/211056102298127
Too bad you didn’t let him bring his big ‘ol truck to your rescue to get some horses. When he arrived, the police could meet him and check out his illegal activity. There may have been horses, stolen or surrendered aboard the cattle truck, which then could be confiscated, putting him out of business, if only temporarily!
Deb, are you insane? Let someone she knows is looking for horses to sell for slaughter onto her property, near her horses? I don’t think you realize how dangerous an action this could be for her and the horses. I would worry about HER getting slaughtered for doing something like that!!!
What’s the number of the guy who called you, I want to speak with him…. Email me the number as soon as possible.